Breaking: Jensen Huang Resigns as NVIDIA CEO With Immediate Effect, Colette Kress Named Interim CEO

As reports suggested, Jensen Huang has officially stepped down as NVIDIA CEO, ending his 33-year run at the company. NVIDIA confirmed the shock leadership change today, November 12, with CFO Colette Kress taking over as interim CEO. The resignation takes effect immediately, while the board begins searching for a permanent replacement.

Colette Kress takes charge as NVIDIA begins succession search

The announcement marks a major turning point for the company behind the AI chip boom. It also comes days after reports raised questions about Huang’s future and NVIDIA’s board launched an independent investigation.

Kress joined NVIDIA in September 2013 and has led its finance organization for more than a decade. Before NVIDIA, she held senior finance roles at Cisco and Microsoft. She will retain her CFO responsibilities while serving as interim CEO.

The board will consider both internal and external candidates for the permanent position. Meanwhile, NVIDIA has appointed Harvey C. Jones as its first-ever board chair. Jones has more than 30 years of experience across technology, entrepreneurship, and venture investing. He previously served as CEO and executive chairman of Synopsys.

The company says its operations, customer commitments, and product roadmap will continue without interruption. Kress has also promised to build on the foundation Huang established during his 33 years at NVIDIA.

Huang’s exit comes amid an escalating controversy

The resignation follows a turbulent week for NVIDIA. The board previously confirmed an independent investigation after reports suggested Huang had been targeted by a foreign intelligence operation. It said there was no reason to believe NVIDIA secrets or national security had been compromised.

The controversy also involved reports of alleged affairs with two women, including one reportedly suspected by US authorities of having links to Chinese intelligence. Reuters reported that the board had been considering Huang’s future before today’s announcement. NVIDIA has not publicly described the investigation as the reason for his resignation.

Speaking of what’s next, NVIDIA will announce its third-quarter fiscal 2027 results on November 17 at approximately 1:20 PM PT. Its earnings call will follow at 2 PM PT, as previously scheduled.